As part of Time Warner Cable’s Holiday Hopes & Happenings campaign, employees and the company supported favorite charities with donations of money, toys and volunteer time to make the season a little brighter for thousands of individuals.

Throughout the Northeast, Time Warner Cable partnered with Operation Tribute, a non-profit that provides free toys each holiday season to children of military families. Employees and Time Warner Cable assisted Operation Tribute by purchasing, wrapping, shipping and distributing approximately 34,000 toys to military families in New England, New York, New Jersey and Ohio. Public service announcements were run on Your News Now to promote the initiative that resulted in $10,000 in additional donations by Time Warner Cable’s customers. In New York City Time Warner Cable in partnership with NY1 and its local media sales team hosted a food drive for the Food Bank for New York City and City Harvest. Time Warner Cable employees and customers collected more than 2,500 pounds of non-perishable food for residents affected by superstorm Sandy.

Time Warner Cable in the Carolinas and News 14 Carolina delivered more than 6,400 toys and gifts to the Salvation Army for families in need across North and South Carolina. Three hundred employees volunteered 1,100 hours of their time delivering gifts and working at Salvation Army Toy Shops and distribution centers. The toys and other items were purchased and donated by customers and employees. Several local businesses served as drop off locations for toys from the public as well. For additional information, contact Matthew Tremblay at 716-558- 8555 or email Matthew.tremblay@twcable.com.

Are you interested in connecting with your fellow cable communicators? ACC needs volunteers for our FORUM 2013, 2013 Beacon Award and ACC Board Committees. Get involved and help mold ACC programs to meet the needs of cable communicators.

FORUM Committee Members will help determine the agenda and promote FORUM 2013 to the industry. Beacon Award volunteers manage the complete entry process from promotion to judging to the Beacon Awards Gala. Board Committees develop association programs and help members get connected to one another.

Comcast's regional cable network covering Northern and Central California, Comcast Hometown Network, announced it will televise a benefit concert for injured San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow on Sunday January 13. Entitled “Tim Flannery & Bob Weir Live at The Uptown,” the 72-minute concert special features Flannery (third base coach for the San Francisco Giants) and Weir (The Grateful Dead’s former front man); along with Flannery’s band the Lunatic Fringe. Throughout the broadcast, viewers will be directed to www.comcasthometown.com to have an opportunity to purchase a DVD of the concert or make donations to support Stow, the Giants fan who was severely beaten in Los Angeles after attending the opening game of the 2011 season against the Dodgers.

Flannery (www.timflannery.com/) is the Giants third base coach known for his windmill arm encouragement of Giants runners headed for home plate. He is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter whose music has been described as Americana, with both folk and bluegrass as major influences, along with music from his Celtic roots. “The only way I knew I could help Bryan Stow and his family was through my music,” said Flannery. “We thought maybe we could raise some money, some awareness.”

An original founding member of one of San Francisco’s most iconic rock bands, the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir is now fronting the band “Furthur,” along with Grateful Dead alum, Phil Lesh. During the Uptown concert, Weir and Flannery perform one of the Dead’s classic songs, “Friend of the Devil.”

The concert originally took place at the Uptown Theatre in Napa, Calif. in January 2012 and was produced by WillPower Entertainment as a fundraiser for Stow. The performance was recorded by BamMagazine.com for a special DVD that was sold at Giants’ Dugout stores in AT&T Park and around the Bay Area last season. The concert is being televised for the first time on Comcast Hometown Network. Both the DVD and the Comcast Hometown Network broadcast were produced and directed by Peter Murphy Crowley. For additional information contact Bryan Byrd at 916-515-2821 or email bryan_byrd@cable.comcast.com.

View the newest video just posted on the ACC home page. Taken from the COO General Session, Hail to the Chiefs, during FORUM 2012; watch as four senior executives provide their advice on being the COO, the challenges of the job and developing a working relationship with the CEO.

Cox Enterprises and The Trust for Public Land announced Donna Shearer as the 25th Cox Conserves Hero. Created in 2008, Cox Conserves Heroes is an awards program that honors community volunteers who create and preserve outdoor spaces in local communities. The winners and finalists select environmental nonprofits to receive a donation in their honor. Through this program, more than $280,000 has been collectively donated to 76 environmental nonprofits."The 25 Cox Conserves Heroes should inspire us all with the variety of projects they're tackling," said Cox Enterprises Chairman Jim Kennedy. "Our company cares deeply about the environment and what we're leaving for future generations. The time people spend outdoors is such a treasure and should be appreciated. We're doing our part within Cox's operations, but I know it takes committed, inspiring volunteers to make a difference in the community. By celebrating their work, we're encouraging more people to volunteer and make a difference."

"Across the country, volunteers form the basis of the conservation movement," said The Trust for Public Land's President and CEO Will Rogers. "We are so pleased to be able to recognize some of these extraordinary volunteers who help make our work creating parks and protecting opens space possible."

Bright House Networks and Afterschool Alliance announced the four winners of their nationwide Lights On Afterschool photo contest on Facebook. The $2,000 grand prize winner was Susan Miller of Brandon, Fla.; and the $1,000 prize winners were Dahmein McFadden, New York; Taylor Mowery, Plant City, Fla.; and Tammy Karnes, Bridgeville, Del.

Bright House Networks teamed with the Afterschool Alliance for the Lights On Afterschool photo contest, which spotlight afterschool programs that work to keep kids safe, inspire learning and help working families. The contest awarded cash prizes for the photos that best depicted how programs and people are focusing on afterschool. Throughout the competition, participants were asked to submit photos on Facebook, and include a caption that described how they are celebrating afterschool.

In 2012, a record-breaking 9,300 Lights On Afterschool events were held around the country to celebrate afterschool programs and young people. Friends of afterschool, including parents and children, sent more than 600 emails and phone calls to Members of Congress and also signed a petition in support of afterschool, and now more than 10,900 individuals have signed on to urge that funding for afterschool programs should not be denied or diverted. For additional information, contact Reinaldo Llano at 407-210-3178 or email reinaldo.llano@mybrighthouse.com.